To the Rescue
by messersmontana
Summary: SG1 MEETS JAG, LET’S SEE WHAT KIND OF TROUBLE THEY GET INTO.


TITLE: TO THE RESCUE

AUTHOR: Trisha Steere

STATUS: Complete

CATEGORY: ROMANCE/ADVENTURE/CROSSOVER

PAIRINGS: SG1 SAM/JACK, JAG WEBB/MAC

SPOILERS: SG1 all seasons up through at least Avenger

2.0

JAG: LAWYERS, GUNS, &MONEY, PAS DE DEUX, A TANGLED

WEBB 1 & 2

SEASON: SG1: 7/ JAG: 8

RATING: PG17

SUMMARY: SG1 MEETS JAG, LET'S SEE WHAT KIND OF

TROUBLE THEY GET INTO.

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the

property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA,

Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for

Entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No

copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations,

and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted

elsewhere without the consent of the author.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know that there are a lot of Harm and

Mac fans out there, but please keep an open mind to

the thought of a Webb and Mac relationship. As for

SG1, I'm a Jack and Sam shipper all the way.

I'd also like to thank Suz W for beta reading this story for me. You've Been great Suz, thanks for being my friend.

This is also a repost of one of my stories. Posted on 5/25/2004

0945 Local

JAG Headquarters

Falls Church, Virginia

Mac sat at her desk going over her files, trying not to think about her conversation with Harm last week. It had been going over in her head a lot over the past weekend. He'd simply told her that he would talk to her when she came to her senses and dumped Webb. 'Like that's going to happen,' she thought to herself.

Since their return from Paraguay, she and Webb had seen each other socially, quite a few times. She wasn't sure if she was in love with him yet, but she wanted to explore more of a relationship with him. He made her laugh and he was great company. He also complimented her a lot and wasn't rushing her into anything she wasn't ready for yet.

She shook her head and looked up from the forgotten file just in time to see Webb walking through the bull pen towards Admiral Chegwidden's office. This was the first time he'd come to the office since he last asked for her help in Paraguay. She privately wished him luck with the Admiral. She knew he would need it. Admiral Chegwidden had been in a bad mood since she gotten back; actually he'd been this way since he let Harm go.

It wasn't quite three minutes later when Petty Officer Jennifer Coates came and knocked on Mac's open door. "Ma'am? The Admiral would like to see you in his office, ASAP."

Mac closed her file and stood, not really surprised. "On my way, Coates." She told her. Mac made her way to the Admiral's office and knocked on his door and then entered at his command.

"Have a seat Colonel," Chegwidden said. Then he turned to Webb. "Okay Mr. Webb, you have the floor. Why don't you tell us what you want Colonel MacKenzie for this time?"

Webb looked over at Mac and smiled. "I promise you AJ, this time I only need Sarah as a lawyer." He paused to let what he had just said sink in. "I need her to go with me to Colorado to help me find a Colonel Harry Maybourne, who was last seen at the Cheyenne Mountain Base. He's being sought as a traitor and brought back for trial." He picked up a file out of his brief case with the word 'Top Secret' written on it. "Cheyenne Mountain is a Top Secret base. I've been given clearance by the President, and so has my co-council." He looked at Mac. "That would be you Sarah." Then he waited for the explosion he knew was coming, and he wasn't disappointed.

"What!?" Bellowed Chegwidden. "What do you mean 'your' co-council? You're not even a lawyer Webb."

Webb stood and interrupted him. "That's why I need Sarah to come with me. She's a lawyer and will help with my cover." He looked back at her and then continued. "As of an hour ago, I became Colonel Clayton Webb USAF JAG. Mac is my co-council and is there to help me prosecute Colonel Maybourne. Of course, she will be doing all of the legal work or the charges won't stick."

He walked over to her chair. "She doesn't have to do this if she doesn't want to. She has a choice, but I really do need her help." He said all of this, never breaking eye contact. He couldn't read her this time. She was wearing the same expression she used in court.

Chegwidden watched the two of them. When Mac looked at him, he raised his eyebrow in a question. "Well Colonel? Do you want to do this or not?"

Mac looked from her CO to the man she trusted most with her life. "If Webb needs my help in this, then I'll help him. But maybe he should be my co-council." She looked at Webb, challenging him. "Or can't you handle that?"

Webb acted hurt. "Ouch, you wound me Sarah. Okay, when it comes to the actual trial, you will be head council. But until then, I'm in charge. Okay Sarah?"

Mac looked back at Chegwidden for his approval. When he nodded, she gave Webb the okay.

"We leave first thing tomorrow, I'll stop by your place tonight with the files you'll need to go over. Say about 7pm?" Without waiting for her to respond, he left the room without a goodbye.

With the Admiral's permission, Mac took care of loose ends at JAG OPS. She divided her caseload between Bud and Sturgis, and then she ran a few errands she needed to do before leaving.

Mac's Apartment Georgetown, Virginia

Mac was packing her suitcase when her doorbell rang. She went to open the door, not even looking to see who it was. She knew it was Webb; he was always on time.

Webb walked in and shut the door behind him. "Hello yourself." He said.

She walked up and kissed him. "Sorry Clay, I'm just trying to pack so that I can get some sleep before we leave. You know how much I love to fly," She said sarcastically.

He smiled at her. "Well, at least Rabb won't be flying us." He ducked as she threw a pillow at him. He then became serious. "I brought some files for us to go over. These are Top Secret and are for your eyes only. You'll have to forget what you read and see in the next few days. But for now, you'll need to memorize this because I need to take them back to the President tonight after I leave here." He opened the first file and looked it over before handing it to her. He watched her expression as she read.

"Colonel Jonathan O'Neill," she read aloud. "What's the SGC?"

"It's called Stargate Command." He told her. He sat on the sofa next to her and opened all of the files on her coffee table. He spread them all out so that she could see who he was talking about. "When I heard about this earlier today, I thought it was a joke." He then told her about his conversation with the President earlier that day.

He pointed to the first file. "It's run by Major General George Hammond. He's in charge of the base and reports directly to the President." They sat together and read his file.

Name: George Hammond

Rank: Major General USAF

Status: In command of the SGC facility

Previous Service: Kuwait Theater and in Vietnam

Background Information: Serving with the Project

Bluebook Re-Evaluation, and as Commanding Officer of

the Groom Lake Operations Facility

Standing Orders: Command all SG units to defend Earth

from possible hostile invasion. To analyze all new

technologies, military or otherwise for study and

further development.

Marital Status: Widowed

"As the Commanding Officer of the Research and Defense

Unit, General Hammond commands the SGC and all SG

units. He is a hardened military leader, and a wise

man who is willing to do whatever is necessary to

defend the interests of his country and all humanity.

He may portray a hard exterior, but he is a fair leader,

who takes an interest in his personnel and will listen

to what they have to say, even if he doesn't agree,

which is why he is so highly regarded within the SGC."

He then pointed to the remaining files. "His top unit is

called SG-1. It consists of Colonel Jack O'Neill,

Major Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and this

guy named Teal'c.

Mac leaned over the coffee table, finding herself speechless. It was hard to take this all in and she knew there was more to come. She read the remaining files as he spoke.

Name: Jonathon "Jack" O'Neill

Rank: Colonel USAF - (SN 66-789-7876-324)

Status: Active Duty with SGC

Previous Service: Covert Operations

Special Training: Infiltration, Special Weapons,

Tactics, Demolition, Chemical Weapons

Standing Orders: C.O. SG-1 Team. Defend Earth from

possible hostile invasion. Explore new worlds and

return new technologies Military or otherwise for

study and further development.

Marital Status: Divorced; Sara O'Neill

Children: 1 Son; Charlie: Deceased

"When Jack joined the Air Force at 18 years of age, he

proved himself to be someone with the potential to be

an exceptional airman. He was promptly assigned to a

special training program for covert

operations/infiltration, where he was trained in such

skills as wilderness survival, assassination, the

manufacture and detonation of explosives. He proved

to be a field expedience specialist. He resigned from

the service when his son Charlie died by accidentally

shooting himself with his gun. Jack never recovered

from the loss, which eventually tore him and his wife

apart. As a result of his depressed state and

willingness to die, he was recalled by his former

commanding officer to go through the Stargate on the

first mission to Abydos. But instead, the mission

gave him a new desire to live. He re-joined the SGC and

leads a new team: SG-1, to help protect the world from

the grasps of the Goa'uld and other hostile aliens.

Major Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson, and the Jaffa Teal'c

make up SG-1."

Name: Samantha "Sam" Carter

Rank: Major USAF- (SN 66-789-7876-324)

Status: Active Duty with SGC

Previous Service: Flight Officer/ Kuwait Theater

Special Training: Multi-Turbine Rated, F-117/F-16, PHD

Quantum Mechanics theoretical Astro-Physics

Standing Orders: Continue to analyze Stargate

technology and alien weaponry. Return all materials

and related knowledge to SGC for further development.

Ascertain possible hostile threats.

Marital Status: Single

"Major Samantha Carter has served in the Pentagon and has

undergone special training. She holds a Ph.D. in Quantum

Mechanics and is a plasma/particle physics expert,

which is why she is one of the leading experts on

Stargate technology. She has read every bit of

information known to exist and has studied the

permutations of the Stargate symbols at length. When

the plug was pulled on her Stargate research project,

she was transferred to another base, where she

continued her research in private. She was able to

resume her work with the Stargate when the SGC was

assembled and became part of the SG-1, allowing her to

travel through the Stargate and expand her research.

Sam is a loyal member of SG-1 and regards the

other members of the team as part of her family. Her

military training and scientific knowledge is a

valuable asset to the SGC. As an Astrophysicist, Major

Carter had spent many years attempting to unlock the

secrets of the mysterious Stargate. One year after the

original Stargate mission, when hostiles were

discovered coming through the Stargate, Sam was

immediately transferred from the Pentagon and put on a

recovery mission to Abydos to locate the alien

invaders and Dr. Daniel Jackson. Major Carter is

considered Earth's foremost expert on the Stargate.

When the Stargate teams were formed, Sam, who was a

Captain and later promoted to Major, joined SG-1.

Sam's love of information and science sends her through

the Stargate with the rest of SG-1 to defend Earth and

unlock the mysteries behind the Stargate."

Name: Daniel Jackson

Rank: Civilian Anthropologist

Status: Active Duty with SGC

Background Information: He is an Anthropologist,

specializing in ancient cultures and languages, who

became a Civilian Advisor Joint Forces and part of SG-1

Team.

Standing Orders: Defend Earth from possible hostile

invasion. Explore new worlds and return new

technologies military or otherwise for study and

further development. Provide knowledge of other worlds

and cultures.

Marital Status: Widowed- Sha'uri

"Daniel is an Egyptologist, who has a Ph.D. in

Linguistics and Anthropology who loves studying

different cultures. Catherine Langford tracked down

Daniel and he deciphered the symbols on the first

Stargate found in Egypt in 1920. Daniel Jackson was approached

by the military to decipher a mysterious hieroglyphic artifact, which had

baffled their scientists. He was successful in

translating the images and the Stargate was activated.

Daniel was then added, along with Colonel O'Neill, to the first expedition

team to Abydos. During the mission on Abydos, he fell

in love with an Abydonian native: Sha're. After

Daniel, O'Neill and the rest of the team defeated Ra,

Daniel decided to stay and learn the Abydon culture

And to marry Sha're. While on Abydos he had time to research a map

room and brush up on his ancient languages. Approximately one year later,

O'Neill returned with SG-1. Sha're and Skaara were

abducted by the Serpent God Apophis. Jackson returned

to Earth with SG-1 to help defend Earth against this

new Goa'uld, with the hope of finding his wife one day.

His humanistic, liberal approach is

often in conflict with O'Neill's militaristic one.

Some see him as a soft, brainy, clumsy scientist who

carries a wide-eyed enthusiasm with him through every

mission, but it's these exact qualities that his team

members find so appealing."

Name: Teal'c

Rank: Civilian

Status: Active Duty with SGC

Background Information: Former First Prime for Apophis

and Jaffa Serpent Guard

Standing Orders: Defend Earth from possible hostile

invasion. Explore new worlds and return new

technologies military or otherwise for study and

further development. Provide knowledge of other worlds

and cultures

Marital Status: Married; Dry'auc

Children: 1 Son; Rya'c

"Teal'c is a member of the alien race known as Jaffa,

and his home planet is Chulak. Although his overall

appearance is similar to the human form, Jaffas have

an "X" shaped incision in their abdomen (known as a

pouch). When a Jaffa reaches the age

of 8, a Goa'uld larva is placed in the pouch in order

for it to mature, so the Jaffa becomes a host of the

Gou'ald. As a result of hosting, the symbiote provides

Teal'c with powerful healing abilities and an immunity

to many viruses. There is also a strong symbiotic

relationship between the two, which helps extend his

life span. Although he looks much younger, Teal'c is

actually over 100 years old. Teal'c aided SG-1 because

he didn't like the slavery anymore and wanted to help

free his people from the Gou'ald. He has now become a

voluntary member of SG-1 in the fight against the

Gou'ald."

When Webb had her attention again, he continued. "These units go through this huge round doorway or gateway to these other worlds everyday. " He stopped to gauge her reaction.

"Did you say other worlds? Have you been hanging around Bud too much lately?" She asked him in shock.

Webb took her hand. "I told you that I thought it was a joke too, but it's not." He cupped her cheek. "It's all true Sarah. I got these files from the President himself. He told me our real mission is to find Colonel Maybourne and get him to give us hard evidence against Senator Kinsey. Kinsey is trying to sabotages the SGC and if he does that, this planet is doomed. Colonel Maybourne is the only one who has all the proof against Kinsey." He saw how pale she had become and was afraid that she had changed her mind.

Mac stared at him with her mouth open. "Clay, am I going to be sorry I took this assignment?" She asked him.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry Sarah. I'll be there with you the whole time. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

She pulled away from him. "You will not be tortured again for me, or die. I can't let you do that again." She pulled his face down to kiss him. "Do you need to leave, or can you stay here tonight?" She asked him.

"I need to get these files back to the President tonight, but how about I come back here right after I'm done?" He asked her.

She kissed him again. "Please, I'd like that. I miss sharing my bed with you, and I have an extra toothbrush for you." She winked at him. "Why don't you get going now. The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll be back."

He kissed her one last time and scooped up the files before walking out the door.

Mac had fallen asleep waiting for Webb to return. He let himself in with the key she'd given him for emergencies. He stopped in her doorway when he saw her asleep on the sofa. He walked over to her, leaned down and gently picked her up, carrying her to her bedroom.

Mac opened her eyes as Webb laid her down on the bed. "Clay? What took so long? I thought you'd be gone all night. I was hoping to get some sleep, but I wasn't going to bed without you." She crawled under the covers and waited for him to join her.

They held each other the whole night, just enjoying being in each others arms.

CIA Private Jet

"Sarah, I want to thank you for letting me sleep in your bed last night." He took her hand and held it. "That was the first time I was able to sleep through the night since Paraguay."

She squeezed his hand. "I know how you feel. It was the same way for me. I keep waking up thinking we're still in Sadik's camp."

They spent the rest of the trip holding hands and just enjoying being close to each other. They knew once they landed, they would have to be colleagues, and keep their feelings towards each other to themselves. Mac was a little nervous about this assignment. She hoped it would all work out without any trouble.

SGC

Cheyenne Mountain Complex

Colorado

Colonel Jack O'Neill was walking through the door to the briefing room. "General, you wanted to see me?" He looked from General Hammond to the man and woman in the room.

"Colonel O'Neill, this is Colonel Webb and Colonel MacKenzie from JAG. They're here to find and prosecute Colonel Maybourne." Hammond told Jack.

Webb spoke first. "Colonel O'Neill, we know that this is the last known place Colonel Maybourne was seen. Then he just disappeared off of the face of the Earth." Webb watched O'Neill's face for his reaction.

Jack gave nothing away. "Haven't seen Harry in sometime. Last time I heard from him, he was somewhere tropical. Why don't you check with the NID, they like to take care of their own."

Before Webb or Mac could respond, three more people walked into the room. Mac recognized them from their files.

General Hammond rose from his chair. "Colonel's Webb and MacKenzie, I would like you to meet the rest of Colonel O'Neill's team. Major Carter, Dr. Jackson, and Teal'c."

Sam and Teal'c sat on either side of Jack while Daniel sat next to Webb. Sam looked at Jack, her mind full of questions. When he didn't have an answer for her, she looked at Hammond. "Sorry we're late sir, Janet was finishing our post mission exams." She said.

Hammond nodded. "Understood Major. I was just explaining to Colonel O'Neill that they are from JAG and are looking for Maybourne." He said as he pointed to Webb and Mac.

Sam shuttered when Maybourne's name was mentioned. She was still pissed off at him for shooting her with the Zat gun and for stranding Jack on that moon for a month. She felt Jack squeeze her hand under the table and she squeezed his in return. She knew she couldn't look at him or it would give her away her feelings for him. It was against regulations for them to act on their feelings because he was her CO.

Webb spoke and brought her back to the moment. "We know that Colonel O'Neill was with Maybourne a couple of times last year and that he disappeared after the last time you worked together. We've read the reports on his actions and activities with the NID, as well as his dealings outside the NID." He looked at SG-1. "I also know that he's sneaky. I've dealt with him on a few occasions.

Just then, the alarms went off, indicating an unauthorized offworld activation of the Stargate. SG-1 and Hammond were instantly on their feet. Mac and Webb looked at each other, puzzled.

Hammond looked from SG1 to the JAG officers. "Colonel O'Neill, will you take care of the situation? I'll stay with our visitors."

"Yes sir." Jack said and SG-1 was instantly in action and out the door.

Webb stood and approached Hammond. "General Hammond, what's going on? What are all the alarms about and where did they go?" He gestured to the door that SG-1 had just disappeared through.

Hammond returned Webb's stare. "I'm afraid I can't tell you Colonel Webb. As you know, this is a high clearance facility, and you'd have to get clearance from the President to find out anything that goes on here." He said as he sat back down in his chair, waiting for Webb to be seated too.

Webb walked back to his chair and sat down. He opened his brief case, pulled out a folder, and grabbed a piece of paper. He read the paper then handed it to Hammond. "As you can see by this official document, Colonel MacKenzie and I have the highest clearance on the President's authorization." He paused to collect his thoughts. "So, will you please tell us what's going on. I deal with classified information everyday." He felt Mac pinch his arm and tried not to laugh.

Hammond sighed. He needed to talk to the President. "What has the President told you about the SGC?"

Webb told Hammond what he'd been told by the President. "He said that you would fill us in on the rest when we got here. He also told us that what we see here is to be forgotten when we leave."

Hammond chuckled. That sounded like the President alright. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I'll fill you in on what I can." He got up and walked out the door, closing it behind him.

Hammond informed the SF guard to make sure the two JAG officers stayed in the room until he got back. He then walked to his office, picked up his red phone and talked to the President. He was told who Webb was, what they were really there for, and to help them in any way possible.

(Meanwhile in the Gateroom)

Jack was the first one into the observation room. "Receiving IDC, it's the Tok'ra sir." Sgt. Walter Davis told him.

"Open the Iris." Jack said as Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c caught up to him. He turned to Sam and said. "Maybe it's Dad."

She smiled and rolled her eyes at him as they headed down the stairs to the gateroom. She entered just as the figure walked out of the event horizon. It was her father, Jacob Carter. Sam came forward and hugged him. "Hi, Dad."

"Hiya Sammie." He said, then turned to the others. "Jack, Daniel, Teal'c. Where's General Hammond?" He asked as he looked up into the observation room but didn't see him.

"I'm right here Jacob. Welcome back. So is this a pleasure trip or do we have a problem?" Hammond said as he approached the small group.

"Hello George. I was actually scheduled for a weekend visit, but I also bring some bad news." He gestured for them to walk with him. "It seems that Colonel Maybourne has been nabbed by the Goa'uld. He was taken out of his house a couple of nights ago."

Hammond stopped and turned to Jacob. "Maybe we should finish this in the briefing room, there are a couple of lawyers here for Maybourne." He saw the look of surprise coming from SG-1. "They've been cleared by the President. In fact, he's already told them a little about the SGC." He turned back to Jacob. "So if you don't mind, we can finish this there."

Mac and Webb sat side by side, really not saying much as they waited for General Hammond to return. They hadn't expected to be waiting this long since the President had already cleared them for this information. Webb figured the phone call would be five minutes tops, but they'd been sitting there alone for almost thirty minutes.

They both stood as General Hammond ushered in SG-1 and someone they hadn't met yet. "Colonel's Webb and Mackenzie, this is General Carter. He is Major Carter's father." He told them as he took his seat at the head of the table.

Jacob sat on one side of Sam while Jack took the chair on her other side. Daniel sat down in the chair next to Webb and Teal'c sat on Jack's right side, next to Hammond. Once everyone had been seated and looked ready, Hammond spoke. "Jacob, before you tell us what brings you here, I need to fill these two in on my phone call with the President."

He turned to Webb. "Colonel Webb, the President informed me that he told you some of what goes on here at the SGC, but in a few minutes, you'll see it with your own eyes." He paused to let it sink in, then turned to Jack. "Colonel O'Neill, I know I just gave SG-1 downtime, but under the circumstances, you will probably want to be involved in this operation along with Jacob."

Jack leaned around Sam to look at Jacob. "So, Jacob? What happened to good ole Harry?"

Jacob smirked at him. "Two days ago we got word that the village of Dovella on P3X-515 was attacked by Ba'al's Jaffa. We're not sure how they knew about Maybourne, but they went straight to his hut and took him. The others in the village said that no one else was taken and there were only minimal injuries. They also disabled the Stargate somehow."

He looked at Hammond. "George, I can take them to P3X-515 with the Tel'tak. Then once we find out where they took Maybourne, I'll take them there. I've discussed it with the Tok'ra high council and they've agreed to let me have this assignment." He looked at his daughter, smiled and took her hand. "Besides, it'll give me the chance to spend some time with my little girl."

Jack laughed. "How did you get them to agree to let you help us find Maybourne?"

Webb and Mac exchanged confused looks that wasn't lost on Daniel or Teal'c. But before anyone could say anything about it, Jacob answered Jack's question.

"The Tok'ra agreed because it's also in their best interest to get him back. He has vital information about the Tok'ra that would not be good if the Goa'uld accessed it," Jacob said to Jack, but was looking at Hammond.

Webb couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Okay, what is a Tok'ra and what is a Goa'uld?" Both he and Mac looked at them for answers.

Before Hammond could say anything, Sam answered the question without looking up. "The Goa'uld are serpent parasites that forcibly take human hosts and possess a thirst for power. They like to play Gods usually of Egyptian reference. They have enslaved countless worlds, using their inhabitants as hosts, soldiers, miners, and personal slaves." She looked up to see if she still had their attention. When she saw that she did, she continued. "The Tok'ra are a resistance movement who live in voluntary symbiosis with their human hosts, and thus refuse to be called Goa'uld because of their philosophical differences."

Mac finally spoke. "What do you mean voluntary? Who would volunteer to have a serpent parasite in their body," she asked with a concerned look on her face.

Sam looked at her dad. "Well actually, my dad voluntarily blended with a Tok'ra named Selmak." She paused at the look on the visitors faces.

"It's all right. My dad was dying of cancer and he was cured of it when he blended with his symbiote Selmak." At Sam's mention of her name, Jacob bowed his head and when he looked up again, Selmak was present.

Mac and Webb jumped when Jacob's eyes glowed, but then relaxed a little when Selmak spoke to them. "You have nothing to fear from me. Samantha is right. The Tok'ra are allies with the Tauri and we do not take hosts against their will." Once again, he bowed his head and Jacob was back in charge. "I hope that Selmak didn't scare you. You have nothing to fear from her."

"Actually it startled me at first, but for some reason after you, or she spoke, I was fine. It was almost calming." Webb told him, and then he looked at Mac.

"I must admit it took me a little longer to feel comfortable with all this. I mean I was a little prepared for it, but this is a lot to take in," Mac said. To Webb she looked a little pale and he was concerned about her. He reached over and gave her hand that was on the arm of the chair a little squeeze. She looked back at him and gave him a smile to reassure him that she was doing okay.

Webb made up his mind right then. "General Hammond, I'd like to go on this mission to bring Colonel Maybourne back." He looked at Mac. "Colonel Mackenzie will stay here until we come back to keep our boss up-to-date on what our progress is."

Before anyone could continue, Mac broke in. "I'm going too." She looked at Hammond and said. "Sir, I can call Admiral Chegwidden and tell him that we have to go out of country to get Colonel Maybourne," she stubbornly finished. She looked at Sam to find her smiling at her. She knew they were both thinking 'we women have to stand up for ourselves'. She smiled and nodded back at Sam.

General Hammond wasn't sure about this, but the President had already cleared them to go through the Gate. He obviously trusted these two. "Okay, gear up. You have a go in two hours."

Jack looked at Hammond with a confused expression. "General?" he asked.

Hammond gave him a look that said 'later' and stood to face them all. "I want all of you to report to the infirmary for pre-mission exams. Dismissed." He walked out of the briefing room without looking back.

Jack stood and looked at Daniel. "Take them to Doc Fraiser. I'll be there in a few minutes. She can wait to stick me until after she done with all of you." He watched Daniel nod and lead Webb and Mac out of the room, with Teal'c and Jacob following.

Jack turned to Sam as she was walking out the door. "Carter? Are you going to be all right?" He asked her.

Startled, she looked back at him. "Sir? Oh, yeah. I was just thinking back to the last time we all saw Maybourne."

"It wasn't your fault Carter," he told her.

"I'm not so sure about that Sir. It was my Zat he got a hold of and then shot me with. I let my guard down and gave him the opportunity to shoot me, and he took it." She replied.

Jack walked up to her and stood close. "Give yourself a break Carter. We'll talk more about this when we're aboard the Tel'tak, okay? Let's go get our pre-mission sticks," he said, trying to get her to smile. She walked along beside him and gave him the smile he was looking for as they headed for the infirmary.

Two hours later, SG-1 and their guests found themselves standing in front of the Stargate, waiting to be sent to the Alpha site, where Jacob and a few of his fellow Tok'ra had left the Tel'tak.

Jack and his team were making last minute checks on Mac and Webb's gear. Jack turned back to Hammond and gave him a thumbs up.

"SG-1, you have a go." Hammond said as the Gate started dialing. "Good luck and bring them all home, Colonel." He finished.

Webb and Mac stood together watching the gate dial with amazement. When the last chevron was dialed and locked, the wormhole opened and the two of them jumped back.

Jack loved watching people see that for the first time. He never got tired of the reaction they had to the swirling blue mass coming at them. "Okay campers, let's move out." He said as Daniel, Teal'c, and Jacob took the lead. Sam stayed close to Mac as she went hesitantly through, and Jack went through behind Webb.

When Jack walked out of the horizon of the wormhole, he found Sam and Webb helping Mac, who was bent over, trying not to be sick. Jack glance over at Sam, but moved on when she nodded to him that she had everything under control.

They were met by Colonel Riley, Bra'tac, Rya'c, and Malek of the Tok'ra. Teal'c greeted both his mentor and his son and moved off to spend a few minutes with them. Jack chatted with Colonel Riley and got an update on things at the Alpha site. Malek took Jacob aside to give him a message from the spy in Ba'al's ranks about Maybourne. Daniel looked around until he found someone he wanted to talk to.

Back at the gate, Sam had dug through her pockets for some crackers and handed them to Mac. "These should settle your stomach." She said as Mac took them with a weak smile. "I was the same way the first time I came through, and I had eaten a big lunch not a couple of hours prior to going through." She paused to let it sink in. "I promise it gets better each time. You get used to it." She smiled first at Mac, then at Webb.

Mac stood to test her stomach. "I don't know if I'd ever get used to something like that." She said as she got her first real look at the Alpha site. "So, we're on a different planet? This looks a lot like Earth to me."

Webb agreed. He had been looking around while Mac and Sam had been talking. It did look like they were still on Earth.

Sam smiled. "Well, where you find plant life, there'll be oxygen. But there are some differences on each planet. One we came across had purple leaves on the trees," she told them. "Come on. Let's go see where everyone else went."

They found Jack and Colonel Riley talking about the training with the rebel Jaffa, while watching Bra'tac and Rya'c were showing Teal'c some of the moves they'd been working through. They walked on to find Daniel talking to someone who didn't notice them. And Jacob was nowhere to be seen.

As they approached Daniel, his companion turned around and Sam smiled and walked a little faster. "Jonas!" she said as she hugged him. "What brings you here?"

"Hey Sam. It's good to see you again." He hugged her back. "General Hammond gave me permission to visit a few times so I could see Lt. Field. Cindy. We have been spending our free time together. I've been here a couple of days now. I'm due back to Kelowna in a few more days." He smiled at Webb and Mac and held out his hand. "Hi, I'm Jonas Quinn. I used to be a member of SG-1."

Mac took his hand. "I'm Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, and this is Colonel Clayton Webb." She watched Webb shake his hand.

Sam looked over at Jack and saw him walk off with Malek towards the landing strip where she knew her Dad's ship was kept. "Daniel, I'm going to leave the Colonel's with you and Jonas. I'll be back in a bit. I need to talk to Colonel Riley." When he nodded, she walked off.

Jonas was telling them all about his planet and how he had left it as a traitor to his people, but returned a hero. He told them about what he learned while he was on Earth with SG-1. His favorite thing was learning to drive a car.

Sam walked by Teal'c, Bra'tac, and Rya'c, giving them a nod as she went. But her main focus was to find out where Jack had gone. "Colonel Riley," she called out as she approached him.

He turned to her with a smile. "Major Carter. What can I do for you?" he asked her.

"Did you happen to see where Colonel O'Neill went? I saw him walk off with Malek a few minutes ago," She said.

"As a matter of fact I did. Your father and Malek walked off to get a message from their contact. A few minutes later, Malek came back and told Colonel O'Neill that your Dad wanted to see him on the Tel'tak," he replied.

She nodded. "Thank you, Colonel Riley. If Daniel or Teal'c come looking for me, please let them know I went to see my dad and Colonel O'Neill." She turned and walked off.

"Alright," he told her as she walked off. She didn't see the smile he gave while her back was to him. Malek had mentioned that her father had wanted to have a private talk with O'Neill. He would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that one.

Jack walked up to the Tel'tak. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like what he heard. "Jacob? You wanted to see me?" He asked him.

Jacob came out of the cargo hold. "Jack, I just received word that Maybourne is on P5S-117."

Jack winced. "That's one of Ba'al's controlled worlds. Do we know if he's even still alive?" he asked him.

"We've still got a few operatives in Ba'al's ranks and they've informed us that he's still alive, and he hasn't been tortured yet.

They're waiting for Ba'al to arrive, and he's due anytime now. There is a problem though," he said as he looked at Jack.

"What's the problem? Or do I want to know?" Jack asked him.

Jacob smiled at him. "Oh, you want to know this. Evidently the only way we're going to get anywhere near 117 is by ship. The Stargate can't be dialed from the planet, and it has nothing to do with the virus that went through the system a few months ago. It seems that a certain daughter of mine broke the DHD on purpose when she was there last," he said as he laughed.

Jack laughed too. "That's Carter for you."

Jacob gave Jack a serious look. "Jack, what are your feelings for my daughter?" he asked.

Jack stopped laughing. "Huh?" He couldn't think of anything else to say.

Jacob walked up to him. "What are your feelings for Sam?" He asked again.

"Jacob, you know that the regs say no fraternization," he told her father. "I would never do anything to ruin her career, you have to know that."

Jacob looked closely at him. "Just between you and me, leave the military out of this. What are your feelings for Sam?"

Jack looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "I consider her one of my best friends. I'd do anything for her, as would Daniel and Teal'c. She's brilliant, beautiful, and I'd hate to lose her as a member of SG-1." He said.

"That's not what I mean Jack and you know it. All I want to know is do you love my daughter as much as she obviously loves you?" he asked Jack, startling him.

"I...um...huh?" was all Jack could say. "Jacob, isn't this something that Carter and I should be discussing?"

Jacob shook his head. "I just want Sam to be happy, and if you make her happy, then I'm all for it. It just means I owe George $200." He laughed at Jack's shocked look. "Look Jack, just tell her how you feel. I promise you, it'll be all right. And when we get back, go talk to Hammond. He's got something to tell you." He patted Jack on the shoulder. "You both have my blessing if it helps. I like you Jack and I think you're good for her."

Before Jack could say anything, Sam walked into the Tel'tak. "Hey dad, what's going on? Colonel Riley said You'd heard something?" She could tell immediately that she had interrupted something, but wasn't sure exactly what.

Jacob told her what he'd learned about Maybourne and about the Stargate. "I'm proud of you kiddo. You did good. It just means that we'll have to rescue Maybourne by Tel'tak instead of the Gate." He put his arm around her and squeezed.

She noticed that Jack wasn't looking at either of them as he stowed supplies into the cargo hold. She wondered if her dad had noticed how close she and Jack had gotten and had warned him to back off. She'd have to ask him about it when she got him alone. She'd be damned if she would let her dad make him back off again. They'd just started being comfortable hanging out with each other again. It was almost like the days before the Za'tarc confessions.

They worked together silently loading their supplies. Then Jacob told them it was time to head out, and sent them off to get the rest of their crew. He hoped that they'd use this opportunity to talk about their feelings for each other.

As Jack and Sam walked together back to base camp, Jack was trying to find a way to bring up his conversation with her dad. They covered how proud he was of what she did to the DHD on 117, and then in the same breath, he asked her why she did it. He never got the chance to hear her story as Daniel and Jonas led the rest of their group towards them.

Jack gave her a shrug and turned back to Jonas. "Hey Jonas, what are you doing here?" he asked him.

"Just visiting Lt. Field. Since she got transferred here from the base hospital, I got permission to come see her on our downtimes," he replied, shaking Daniel, Webb, and Mac's hands in a goodbye gesture.

"Jonas, tell Colonel Riley that we're taking off. He can inform Hammond that we'll contact him from the ship. Also, let Colonel Riley know that he can't send reinforcements to..." He turned to look at Sam.

"P5S-117," she said, finishing for Jack.

"Yeah, tell him that the gate can't be dialed out from the planet. The DHD is broken." He looked at Sam while he said this with a smile on his face. As he turned to leave, he stopped. "Oh, and Jonas, it's good to see you again." Then Jack turned back to his group. "He's smiling, isn't he?" he asked Sam, and she nodded.

Jonas had the biggest grin on his face. "Thanks. It's good to see all of you again too." He turned and headed back to the base camp.

Jack led the rest of SG-1 and their guests back to the Tel'tak. He noticed that Bra'tac was coming along with them. He was wondering how Teal'c had gotten Rya'c to stay behind. He would have to ask him later.

They reached the Tel'tak and Jack watched as the two JAG officers stared at it in awe. "Cool, huh?" he asked them with a grin.

Mac looked pale again as Webb laughed at Jack's words. He looked at her and saw how pale she looked. He placed his arm around her shoulder and they followed SG-1 into the ship. He knew he'd have to keep an eye on her. She was really starting to worry him. "Are you okay, Sarah?"

"No, I'm not." She replied. "I'm air sick from the plane, then motion sick from the Stargate, and now we're going to fly in a space ship. I don't know how much more of this I can handle without making a fool out of myself," she told him.

He took her over to one of the cots placed along the walls of the cargo hold between crates and sat her down.

Jacob and Sam got the engines ready and made last minute checks on the shields. "Why don't you all take a seat. There are cots in the cargo hold. We're about to take off," Jacob told them.

Daniel sat down next to Jacob as the Tel'tak lifted off. Bra'tac and Teal'c decided to sit on the floor behind them and perform Kel'noreem. So that left Jack and Sam to find a place to sit.

Jack watched her walk into the cargo hold and approach Webb and Mac. She made sure that they were okay and handed Mac some more crackers. Then she went around the crates and over to another cot on the far side of the room. She knew that they needed some privacy because she was sure Mac was embarrassed by her motion sickness.

Jack walked into the cargo hold and saw her sitting by herself. He walked over and sat down by her on the cot. "Why don't you get some sleep? We've got a long trip ahead of us," he told her.

She nodded, leaned over and put her head on his shoulder. "Is this okay?" She quietly asked him.

He smiled. "It's better than okay," he told her as she closed her eyes. "Pleasant dreams, Sam," he whispered, and heard her mumble something. He closed his eyes and fell asleep with a smile on his face.

(On the Tel'tak)

Webb sat next to Mac on the cot and held her hand. "Sarah, I'm sorry you're not feeling well. I never thought we'd be going through the Stargate, let alone flying in a spaceship."

She smiled at him and caressed his knuckles with her fingertips. "It's not your fault, Clay. Even if I'd had time to think about it, I would have still come with you. I'm not ready to let you out of my sight for too long yet, let alone let you leave Earth without me."

He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I know, and I love you for it." He kissed the side of her head. "Why don't you try and lay down, maybe get a little sleep. I'll be right here until my turn at watch and I'll wake you up when we're ready to land." He pulled her gently towards him so she could lay her head in his lap. "Goodnight Sarah," he whispered.

Mac smiled at him. "I do feel tired. Maybe a little sleep will help," she said as she put her head down and took his hand again. She kissed his palm and then link her fingers with his. She loved this man but wasn't really 100% sure if he returned her feelings, or if he just liked having her around.

Jacob and Daniel sat in the front of the Tel'tak quietly talking. All of a sudden, Daniel's stomach grumbled.

Jacob laughed. "Why don't you go grab us some grub. Once we've eaten, we'll get Teal'c and Bra'tac to relieve us so we can get some sleep."

Daniel got up and headed for the cargo hold. He glanced over to where Sam was with her head on Jack's shoulder. He noticed that Jack had his head resting on the top of her head. He smiled to himself, thinking, that they deserved this time to themselves, and then headed to the opposite side of the room for food.

As he approached Webb and Mac, he saw Webb open his eyes. "I didn't mean to wake you. I was just grabbing some MRE's for Jacob and myself. Would you like something to eat? Most of it tastes like chicken," he said with a chuckle.

Webb nodded. "Sure, I'm used to it. I spent some time in the Middle East the last couple of years."

Daniel nodded back and handed him a packet. "I forget you're military too. I'm used to explaining our food to other cultures." He handed Webb another packet. "Here, this is for Colonel Mackenzie when she wakes up."

Webb took it and thanked Daniel. "Do you ever get used to all of this?" he asked.

Daniel didn't really know how to answer that question. "To tell you the truth, I can't give you a yes or no answer. Sometimes I'm okay and it's a piece of cake, but then there are times when it's just too much to handle. I mean, I've had a couple of really bad experiences during my time with SG-1. But I met wonderful people, including my late wife and had great experiences. So I guess the answer is yes, you do get use to it, but in the same breath, no, you don't."

He turned to walk away. "I need to get this to Jacob so we can get some rest. You should probably get some more sleep too." With that, he walked out of the cargo hold.

Daniel sat back down and handed Jacob his MRE. They ate in silence for a bit until Daniel spoke. "I left Sam and Jack alone, they were out. But I gave Colonel Webb and Colonel Mackenzie's some MREs."

Jacob opened his MRE. "Thanks Daniel. You know, sometimes I actually miss these. Tok'ra food is so bland and tasteless sometimes." He ate as he watched Bra'tac and Teal'c coming out of their Kel'noreem.

They had just finished eating as Bra'tac and Teal'c joined them. "Are you about ready for your watch?" He asked them. Teal'c nodded. "Indeed Jacob Carter." He took the seat that Daniel vacated as Bra'tac took Jacob's seat.

Half way to the cargo hold, Jacob turned back. "Enjoy your watch and wake me if there's any problems," he said with a yawn.

Bra'tac chuckled at him. "Enjoy your sleep. We will keep things quiet if we can."

Jacob made it to the cargo hold, and he noticed Daniel had made himself comfortable on the bedroll, conviently blocking him from going to sleep by his daughter. He glanced at her and the man she had her head resting on. They looked at peace, like they hadn't a care in the world. He hoped and prayed that no matter what happened for them, Sam would be happy. That's all he ever wanted for his little girl.

He turned and laid out his bedroll on the floor near the door. As he laid down, he glanced at the other sleeping couple. The woman, MacKenzie, had her head resting in her companion's lap and looked a little pale. But she also looked just as comfortable as Webb did, almost like it was something they did everyday.

Maybe someday Sam and Jack would be able to be like this and not have to worry about the gossip and the regs. He put his head down and went to sleep, saying a prayer for his daughter and the man she loved.

Sam slowly awoke and was disoriented. She felt an arm tighten around her and wanted to sink into it's warmth, but she knew that she was due fore her watch. She started to pull away, careful not to wake Jack up.

Sam got up and stepped over Daniel and her father and went into the cockpit. She didn't see Webb get up, cover Mac with a blanket, and follow her.

Bra'tac and Teal'c turned around when Sam entered. "Did you rest well Major Carter?" Teal'c asked her.

She smiled at him. "Actually Teal'c, I did sleep very well. I'm here to relieve the two of you. I've got the controls and Colonel O'Neill should be up soon to keep me from getting bored. So, go ahead and get some rest," she said.

Bra'tac nodded and moved over to his bedroll. He looked at Teal'c then laid down to go to sleep.

Sam looked back at Teal'c. "Why don't you get some sleep too. I'll be alright until someone wakes up to keep me company."

"I'm awake. Will I do?" Webb asked as he entered the room.

Sam turned to look at him. "Sure. Why don't you sit in Teal'c's seat," she told him as she down in the pilot's chair.

Teal'c stood. "Good night Major Carter, Colonel Webb." He looked back at Sam. "If you need anything, please wake me." Then he joined Bra'tac in the corner and went to sleep.

Sam watched him longer than she needed to, but she really didn't know what to say to Webb. For some reason, he made her nervous. She wasn't sure why because he seemed like a nice enough man.

"So Major Carter, how do you feel about your dad having one of those things in him?" he asked her.

Sam was taken aback by his question. "Well actually, I asked him to do it." She smiled at his shocked look. "You see, I was taken as a host by a Tok'ra named Jolinar, and it was because of her that I learned about the Tok'ra. She died saving my life and I retained some of her memories, which helped me find the Tok'ra. When we were trying to arrange an alliance, I found out my father was in the hospital dying of cancer. I had just recently found out he had cancer. Well, the Tok'ra needed a voluntary host and I needed my father, so I asked him to take the symbiote. And as they say, the rest is history."

Webb sat there for a few seconds with his mouth open. "And I thought my line of work was dangerous," he told her with a chuckle.

Sam looked at him, almost studying him. "What is your line of work? I know you're not military. I grew up in the military and know a soldier from a civilian," dhe replied.

Webb considered if he should tell her the truth or not. There was something about Major Samantha Carter that made him want to trust her. Maybe it was that she kept as many secrets as he did on a daily basis. He actually found himself wanting to trust the whole team, even the hardass O'Neill.

"You know, I don't trust easily. In fact, there's only one person besides my mother that I trust 100%, and that's Sarah MacKenzie. If you ask her, she'll tell you how many years it took me to admit that. But I'm going to tell you the truth. I'm with the CIA and my cover is a Colonel in the Air Force JAG. But Mac really is with JAG. I enlist her help a lot more than I should, but like I said, I trust her."

Jack was standing in the doorway and heard everything Webb had told Sam. He walked up behind them ,speaking in an angry tone. "What did you just say? You're with the CIA? Please tell me that I heard you wrong. I thought that you guys only spied on the Russians or people from other countries."

Webb looked from Sam to Jack to Mac, who had just joined them. "I'm sorry, but it's my job to keep secrets, and I'm good at my job." He held Mac's gaze and she nodded, encouraging him to tell them the rest.

"Alright, alright. The President asked me to bring Colonel Maybourne back so that he could testify against Senator Kinsey. It seems that the Senator has been had been using his contacts with Maybourne's men to trade secrets and technology with the Middle East. Now the only witness alive is Colonel Maybourne," Webb told them. "The President asked me to personally get your help with this, Colonel O'Neill."

Jack didn't know what to say. He looked at Sam and she could tell that he'd agree only because it would get Kinsey off their backs.

Jack looked back at Webb. "Fine, but remember, I'm still in command of this op and will be the one giving orders, and you will follow them. Carter, as my second in command, can also give you orders...." He looked at Mac and Webb, "that I expect you to follow. She knows just like I do how dangerous this mission really is," he said, finishing.

Mac walked over to Jack. "Even though I outrank her?" she asked him.

"Even though you outrank her," Jack answered with certainty.

"I really am a Colonel in the Marines and I really am a JAG officer. I also have had combat experience and can handle myself in any situation," she stubbornly informed him.

Jack didn't bat an eye. "Not here, Colonel MacKenzie. Carter has the experience of command in the field, not just on Earth, but off world too. Most importantly, she knows how to deal with the Goa'uld and their Jaffa." He looked at Sam and she nodded.

All of a sudden, a warning sensor started beeping and the ship dropped out of hyperspeed. Sam turned and looked at some of instruments and then yelled back towards the cargo hold. "Dad, we've reached the system and should be at the planet in a few minutes."

Teal'c and Bra'tac stood as Daniel and Jacob came out of the cargo hold.

Once they'd landed the cloaked ship and Jacob set the "alarm", Jack and Teal'c did a quick recon of the area. Jack assigned two teams. He would lead one, going after Maybourne, and Sam would lead the other one to offer cover and to be their lookout.

Jack's team consisted of Teal'c, Bra'tac and Webb. Sam had Daniel, Jacob and Mac. Jacob's job was to get to the ship as fast as he could once Maybourne was free so that they could get off the planet quickly. Daniel's job was to make sure Jacob made it back to the ship. He was to lay down cover fire if needed. Mac and Sam were to make sure that no Jaffa came behind Jack's team.

The two teams moved out together. Teal'c taking point and Jacob covering their sixes. Webb had been given a P90 along with a 9mm, and Mac was given a P90 with the extra clips. They'd both been given a Zat and quickly taught how to use it.

Everything was going smoothly and Jack kept thinking it was too easy. He slowed his pace and walked next to Sam. "Carter, is it me or do you get the feeling we're walking into a trap? I mean this is just s....." He never finished his sentence because all of a sudden, they were ambushed by a patrol of Jaffa. "Everyone take cover," Jack yelled.

Everyone dove in different directions. Jack and Daniel dove for cover behind some rocks while Teal'c and Bra'tac pulled Webb into the trees. Jacob was just coming to the spot that Jack and Daniel were at when he spotted six Jaffa taking off after Sam and Mac.

"Jack! Sam's in trouble," he said, turning to him.

"What?!" Jack said as he looked at Jacob. He scanned the area to find no trace of either woman. He stood to see if she was in the bushes across the clearing and almost got his head shot off. He keyed in his radio. "Carter, do you read me?" He waited and prayed that she'd answer him. When he just heard the radio crackle, he tried again. "Carter, what's going on?"

"Colonel...not sure...hold them....but..." Then he lost contact with her.

Jack stood and like a madman shot any Jaffa he saw. Between them all, they'd managed to kill all the Jaffa in the clearing.

Jack, Daniel, and Jacob came out of their hiding place and joined Teal'c, Bra'tac, and Webb. After Jack made sure that no one was hurt, he turned to Jacob. "I need to go after her, Jacob, but I need to get Maybourne too."

Jacob nodded. "I know. You take everyone and get Maybourne. Leave me one man and we'll go after Sam and Colonel MacKenzie," he said.

"No Jacob. You know the Tok'ra operative that's supposed to get us in there, so you need to go. Bra'tac can help if you run into any Jaffa, and he and Daniel both read Goa'uld." He looked at Teal'c. "I'll take Teal'c with me to find them. You take Bra'tac, Daniel, and Mr. Webb."

He grabbed more clips for his P90 and picked up his zat. "Keep in radio contact. If you get Maybourne first, get back to the ship and then come find us. We'll do the same for you."

Jacob pulled Jack aside. "I trust you more than anyone else to bring my little girl back to me, Jack. Just take care of yourself." He patted the younger man on his shoulder.

Jack and Teal'c grabbed a few of the Zats from the dead Jaffa and handed a couple to Teal'c, keeping an extra one for himself just in case Sam had lost her weapons. Jack and Teal'c started out in the way that Sam had gone.

Jacob watched them leave the clearing, then turned to Bra'tac, Webb, and Daniel. "Okay, we go in and make contact with the Tok'ra operative who will lead us to Maybourne."

He led the way towards the compound with Webb arguing the whole way. "I should have gone with Colonel O'Neill to get Mac and Major Carter. Mac is my partner and my responsibility. I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to her."

"Sam is my daughter, but I trust Jack and Teal'c to bring her and Colonel MacKenzie back," Jacob told him, then continued towards the compound.

Daniel and Bra'tac exchanged smirks as they followed Jacob.

Sam and Mac had been caught by the Jaffa, their gear and weapons stripped from them.

They had been crouched down behind some fallen trees when Jack tried to radio them. "Colonel, we're pinned down about one click to your East by six Jaffa. We'll try and hold them off as long as we can, but..."

That's all she had gotten out before a Jaffa came up behind her and smashed her radio. They then found themselves being led South, and away from O'Neill and their rescue.

An hour after they'd been caught, Sam saw their only chance at escape. She'd found out fast that she and Mac were alike and were just as quick on their feet.

Three of the Jaffa had gone on patrol and that's when they decided to make their move. Working as a team they were able to overpower the remaining Jaffa. Sam grabbed a Zat and handed it to Mac, and then grabbed one for herself.

Sam got her barrings. "We can't go back the way we came because the Jaffa went that way. We could go East, back towards the ship," she suggested.

Mac nodded. "Do you think they're looking for us or will they go after Colonel Maybourne first?" she asked Sam.

Sam smiled. "If I know the Colonel and my dad, they'll split up and do both. But we better get a move on. These Jaffa will be looking for us when they notice we're gone. Jaffa are good at tracking, so let's not waste any time." With that said, they moved out.

Teal'c and Jack had been tracking the group for about an hour when they came upon the camp with the three dead Jaffa. While Teal'c was looking for signs as to which way the women went, Jack grabbed a couple of staff weapons. Just as Jack turned around to hand one of the weapons to Teal'c, they were attacked by the three remaining Jaffa who had returned.

Teal'c shot one and was fighting with another one as Jack was thrown by the third one. He got up and shot the Jaffa with his Zat gun, but he just kept coming, so Jack shot him again. Then he shot the Jaffa fighting with Teal'c.

Once they were sure there were no other Jaffa coming at them, Jack turned to Teal'c. "Can you tell if this is where Carter was?"

Teal'c scanned the area. "There are sets of smaller footprints heading East. Maybe Major Carter and Colonel MacKenzie were able to get away from the Jaffa and are now trying to head back to the Tel'tak," Teal'c informed Jack.

"Well then, I guess our best bet at finding them would be for us to head East and follow their trail." Jack said as he stepped out of the clearing, and began to do just that.

Jacob, Daniel, Bra'tac, and Webb reached Ba'al's fortress. "Okay Daniel. You and Bra'tac will go to the control room and get the energy field down around the cells. Mr. Webb and I will find the operative and get Maybourne." After Jacob finished giving out the orders, they went their separate ways.

Daniel and Bra'tac had no trouble finding the control room. When they got there and shot the guard, they monitored Jacob and Webb. Daniel was watching the screen when he saw a group of Jaffa heading in their direction. "Bra'tac, can you get the door closed and hide that guard? We've got company coming."

Bra'tac got the door closed before the Jaffa passed by, and they remained undiscovered.

Jacob and Webb reached the cell block with help from the Tok'ra operative and radioed Daniel. "We've reached his cell. Can you lower the shield?" he asked.

Once the shield was down, Jacob opened the door. He was surprised to see Maybourne looking rather well. "Colonel Maybourne? I'm Jacob Carter. I'm here with SG-1 to get you out of here."

"Jack O'Neill is here? I would have thought he'd leave my sorry ass here to rot. You came just in time. They told me that Ba'al would be here in the morning and was looking forward to getting information out of me. They seemed to take great pleasure in telling me this," Maybourne said as they exited the cell.

They ran into no trouble getting out of the cell block, thanks to Daniel and Teal'c. They met up with them just outside the control room. Jacob's fellow Tok'ra would monitor them until they had made it out of the fortress.

They'd just made it outside when all hell broke loose.

They took cover as six Jaffa fired at them. Webb and Daniel were behind a rock shooting from the left side of the doorway and Bra'tac and Jacob were behind a fallen tree to the right. Jacob covered Bra'tac as he tried to get the doorway closed before any more Jaffa could come up behind them.

Once it was closed and the six Jaffa were taken care of, they made it quickly back to the ship.

Sam and Mac decided to take a break. Sam fished out a few power bars she'd hid in her pants pocket and handed one to Mac. "Here, you must be hungry. I know they aren't the best things in the world, but at least it will give us energy to move on."

Mac took it and opened it. "You forget Major, I'm a Marine. We're always hungry," she said as she laughed.

Sam laughed also. "You can call me Sam, Colonel MacKenzie."

Mac smiled. She liked the other woman. "You can call me Mac. It's what everyone calls me." She paused and smiled wider. "Well, everyone except Clayton Webb," she said with tenderness.

Sam could see that she cared for him as she herself cared for Jack. "What does he call you? If you don't mind my asking."

"He calls me by my given name, Sarah. Most of the time I call him Clay, unless I'm upset with him. Then I call him Webb. That's what most of the people in JAG call him," Mac said.

Mac watched Sam for a minute then asked the question that had been bothering her. "Is there something going on between you and Colonel O'Neill?"

Sam dropped her power bar. "Huh? What? Uh no, we're just friends. SG-1 is kind of like a family. Daniel is like my little brother and Teal'c is like my much older brother." Sam stammered on. "And Colonel O'Neill, he's like...I don't know exactly how to explain it. We've always been really close, all of us."

She paused for a second. "Even after we lost Daniel for over a year, the three of us were close, and almost didn't let Jonas into our team. But he won each of us over, one at a time. Of course Colonel O'Neill was the last to come around." She smiled, remembering how hard Jonas had tried.

"I remember this one time we were at the Alpha site and this Ashrak, that's a Goa'uld assassin, was trying to turn us all against each other so that we would kill each other off. Well Jonas wanted to join us, but Colonel O'Neill told him to stay at the SGC. He just tried too hard, but in the end, he just wasn't Daniel." Sam turned to see if Mac had listened to her ramblings or was bored. She was surprised to see the interest in her eyes.

Mac waited to hear more, but when Sam didn't speak Again, she shared a little bit about her life with Sam. "My turn I guess."

At Sam's nod, she started her story. "I've been with the JAG in Church Falls for about seven years now. In fact, Clayton Webb is the reason I was sent there. You see, my Uncle Matt stole the Declaration of Independence and Webb wanted my help to get it back. And that is the beginning of how I ended up with Clay."

She paused before she decided to continue. "Most of the time, he would get help from me and my partner Harm, but there were times it would only be Harm that was needed. Now I know that he tried to keep me out of the dangerous missions if at all possible. If he really needed me, then he usually tried to stay close by to protect me. I used to think it was because he was a jerk and didn't trust me, but now I know it's because he cares about me." She stopped, uncertain how much information she was cleared for.

Sam took her silence as a sign to talk. "When we found Daniel again, it was one of the happiest days I can remember in a long time. It was great to have the old team back together, but at the same time it, was sad to see Jonas go." She looked at her knees and picked a piece of lint off of them.

"Daniel is still trying to regain all of his memories, and sometimes he can't remember a birthday. He's not sure if he'll ever remember anything that happened to him when he was....ah was gone. But it does feel great to have my family back together again."

Mac smiled. "Yes, my family consists of Clay, Harm, Bud, Harriet, Gunny, Admiral Chegwidden, and a few others at JAG ops. I understand how you feel about your guys, because that's how I feel about my JAG family," she said.

Sam never thought about the guys of SG-1 as her guys, but she liked hearing them called that. "My family is really more than just SG-1 and my dad. There's also General Hammond, Janet, and Cassie, and I feel really close to some of the people at the SGC too. What I feel for all of them goes beyond friend........." She stopped talking when she heard someone coming and aimed her Zat in that direction.

She gave a sigh of relief when Jack and Teal'c entered the clearing. "Don't shoot, we come in peace," Jack said, laughing at his own joke. "So Carter, what were you saying about the people at the SGC?"

Sam blushed and wondered just how much he'd heard. "I was telling Colonel MacKenzie here.."

"Mac." Sarah said, correcting her.

"Sorry Mac. I was telling Mac here that the SGC was kind of like an extended family to me, like JAG is to her." She looked at Mac, who nodded back.

Jack walked closer to Sam and whispered to her. "So, where do I fit in your family?" he asked with a wink.

Taken back by his question and the way it made her feel, she blushed again. Luckily for her, they were ringed aboard the Tel'tak at that moment.

Jacob rushed to Sam and hugged her as he slapped Jack on the back. "I'm glad you're all safe, Sam," he said as Teal'c headed for the cockpit to make sure Bra'tac was okay.

Webb rushed in and pulled Mac into a hug. "Sarah, are you alright?" he asked her as he pulled back to make sure she wasn't hurt.

"I'm just fine, Clay. Sam and I actually got away from the.." She looked to Sam for the right name.

"Jaffa." Sam finished for her. "When they split up so half could patrol to make sure you weren't following, we were able to fight our way out of there."

Jack looked around the room. "Where's Maybourne?" he asked Jacob.

Jacob pointed towards the cockpit. "In there with Daniel, Teal'c and Bra'tac."

They all walked out of the cargo hold and Jack made a beeline for Maybourne. "Well, it looks like you're on your way back to Earth, Harry. It also looks like you're gonna help us get rid of Kinsey once and for all. What do you think about that?" Jack asked him.

Maybourne shook his head. "You promised that I could live out my days on Dovella where I could die an old man and in peace."

Jack looked from Maybourne to Webb, who was just coming his way. "I'm sure when Mr. Webb is done with you, they'll bring you back to the SGC. Then we can send you home," he said with an eyebrow raised.

Webb nodded. "I'm sure it can be arranged in exchange for your testimony. Right, Sarah?" he asked, turning to her.

She looked at Jack and Webb. "I'm sure between the three of us and the President, we can make that happen, Colonel Maybourne. Now if you'll excuse us, I need to speak with Colonel Maybourne about his testimony." She led him back into the cargo hold.

Everyone else went and found their little corner to sit and relax for the long trip home while Webb and Mac spoke with Maybourne.

Jack sat and tried not to be bored, but it was no use. Daniel was asleep, Teal'c and Bra'tac were deep in kel'noreem, then there was Sam and Jacob who were going over their route home. They were going straight home to Earth instead of through the Alpha site this time.

Jack was really wishing that he'd brought his gameboy or a Yoyo. Unknown to him, Sam kept looking at him when he wasn't watching. Finally, she opened her backpack and pulled out his gameboy and tossed it to him. Jack gave her his biggest smile. Jacob noticed this and smiled at them.

When Webb, Mac, and Maybourne walked out of the cargo hold hours later, Sam got up. "I'm tired Dad. I think I'm gonna lay down for a while. Let me know if there's any problems." Then she turned and went into the cargo hold without looking at anyone.

Jacob got up and went over to Jack and sat down on the floor next to him. "Maybe this would be a good time to have that talk with Sam. She's alone in there."

Jack looked nervously at him. "Are you gonna keep the kids out of there while we have this talk, Dad?" Jack asked with a wink.

Jacob chuckled. "Yes, Jack. I'll keep everyone out of there as long as you want me to. Just go and talk to her." He stood as Jack did, then looked at everyone in the room. "It looks like everyone is occupied right now anyway."

Jack looked around and saw that Teal'c and Bra'tac had taken the command chairs, while Mac and Webb were still quietly talking to Maybourne. Then there was Daniel, who looked like he was actually asleep. Jack turned and walked into the cargo hold.

He was nervous about the talking to Sam. He didn't deal well with this emotional stuff. He didn't know how she felt about him anymore. He hoped that she still loved him as much as he loved her.

As he walked in, he could see that she wasn't asleep. "Hey, you okay?" he asked her.

She looked up at him. "Yeah, I'm just more tired than I thought, but I can't seem to be able to sleep," she said quietly. She moved over so he could sit next to her.

Once he was settled, he took her hand and was surprised when she didn't pull back. "Carter...Sam. I need to tell you something and I'd prefer it if you didn't say anything until I'm done."

You know I'm no good at talking about how I feel." He looked at her, but when she nodded, he continued. "You've known for a while now that I care about you. Actually, it goes much deeper than that. The truth is I love you, Sam. And before you say anything about the regs or anything else, just let me finish."

He intertwined his fingers with his. "I'm ready to retire again if you'll just tell me that you feel the same way. In fact, your answer will determine what I tell Hammond when we get back to Earth. You see, I want to explore what there is between us. I want to be able to hold your hand or kiss you in public without looking over our shoulders to make sure no one is watching. I have been in love with you for so long and I'm ready to show you and the world just how much." He finished and waited for her to speak, hoping that she wouldn't break his heart.

"Sir, I mean Jack...I..." She closed her eyes to unscramble her thoughts.

"Sam." He loved hearing her say his name.

"No, let me have my say." She placed her finger to his lips. When he kissed her finger, she felt it all the ways to her toes and almost forgot what she wanted to say to him. "Jack, I love you too, and I have since the moment you said that you already adored me and then pushed me through the event horizon."

She looked into his eyes. "Leaving it in that room was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. When I heard you tell Anise that you cared for me, I wanted nothing more than to be in your arms and feel your lips on mine."

She placed his arm around her and leaned into him. "Jack, I know that you love being a part of the SGC and SG-1. You can't just retire and leave it anymore than I could. I couldn't ask you to leave it for me anymore than you can ask me to leave it for you."

Stubbornly, she continued. "If you want to go to General Hammond, then I'm coming with you. So far, we haven't broke the regs. Maybe stretched them, but have not broken them. Maybe with Hammond's help, we can come up with something where everyone's happy." She pulled away from him and turned to look at him. "Jack, I love you so much and don't want to lose you."

He pulled her into his arms. "I'm going to break the rules now, but this will be our little secret." Then he kissed her.

To Sam, it was the best kiss she'd ever had. Slowly, the outside world crept into her brain. "Jack, what about my dad? What will he say when he hears about this?"

Jack smiled at her and she relaxed a bit. "Who do you think gave me permission to come in here and talk to you? He just wants you to be happy and if I make you happy, then he's happy." With that he pulled her into another hug.

Jack stood and looked down at her. "Lay down and get some sleep. I'm going to go tell Dad that he can stop guarding the door." When she gave him a confused look, he explained. "He wanted to let us have the chance to talk without interruption."

As Sam laid down, he bent and kissed her forehead, and then walked out of the cargo hold.

Jacob saw Jack leave the cargo hold and nodded at him. He smiled, knowing that his daughter would be happy at last.

Back at the SGC

Once Webb, Mac, and Maybourne were on their way to Washington D.C., Sam went looking for Jack.

She found him in his office playing with his Gameboy. She knocked and then entered. "Hey," she said when she saw him.

"Carter, you ready to go and talk to Hammond yet?" he asked her as he rose.

"As ready as I'm ever gonna be Sir. Let's get this part of it over with." As he moved to the door, she placed a hand on his arm. "Wait, Jack."

He stopped and looked at her. "I just want you to know that no matter what General Hammond says, I'll always love you," she told him.

He smiled at her and wanted to kiss her, but knew he couldn't as long as they were on base. "I know and I'll always love you too, Sam." Then he led her to Hammond's office.

Hammond wasn't surprised to see Jack and Sam walk through his door. He'd had a quick chat with Jacob before he'd gone back to the Tok'ra. "Come in Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter and have a seat." Once they'd been seated he continued. "What can I do for you?"

Sam and Jack looked at each other then back at Hammond. Jack cleared his throat and spoke. "Well...um...you see Sir." He looked at Sam for help.

"General Hammond, Colonel O'Neill and I have been fighting our feelings for each other for about seven years, and we've sacrificed a lot due to the rules and regulations of the Air Force." She looked at Jack to see if he could take over the conversation..

Jack nodded and turned back to Hammond. "We're just tired of sacrificing what we feel for each other. We want to be able to be together and not get into trouble or have to give up the SGC or SG-1. Is there anyway that we can do something to be together and still be apart of this?" They both looked hopeful at Hammond.

Hammond gave them a stern look and tried not to laugh. "I have kind of been expecting this for the last few years. I've had long talks with the President and the Joint Chief's, and we've come to the conclusion that not only has SG-1 saved the world on many occasions, but the two of you have never asked for anything in return." He opened his desk and pulled out a piece of paper.

"This is for you. It's signed by the President, the Joint Chief's, and myself. It gives you permission to pursue a personal relationship with each other without worrying about the regulations. As long as you keep it professional on base or off world, you can do whatever you wish off duty." He stood and watched them stand as well, very confused.

Before they could let it sink in, he stuck his hand out to Jack. "Congratulations to you both. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to call my granddaughters. I need to inform them that I just won $200 from Jacob."

Sam and Jack spun back around. "Excuse me? Did you say you won $200 off my dad, Sir?" she asked him.

Hammond chuckled. "Yes. We had a bet on when the two of you would finally get together. Jacob bet that you would have given in sooner and one of you would have left the Stargate program. I bet that you'd both hold off until you couldn't stand it and then you'd come to me before doing anything. And I know I'm right, so I won and we're both happy about it."

Sam threw her arms around Hammond and hugged him. "Thanks you, George." She kissed his cheek.

Jack had never her call Hammond anything but by his rank or sir., so he was shocked by this. "George?" he asked her.

Hammond laughed. "Didn't Sam ever tell you that I am her Godfather? Jacob and I have been friends since we were in our 20's." He informed Jack.

Jack looked from his CO to the woman who had claimed his heart. "I guess we have a lot to talk about and learn about each other. So if we are excused 'George', I'd like to go home and get to know more about Samantha Carter."

Hammond smiled. "Have fun you two, and SG-1 is on downtime for the next three days."

"Yes Sir," they both said and were out the door.

Jack drove them to his house, picking up dinner on the way there. After they were done with dinner, they moved into the living room. There they talked late into the night and got to know each other as normal people and not CO and 2IC. That night, Jack slept with Sam for the first time and planned on doing it for as long as he lived.

Three Weeks Later

The SGC got news that Kinsey was arrested and tried for treason. Maybourne did his duty and testified. He was on his way back to getting himself home to Dovella. Webb and Mac were allowed to work more with the SGC since they had the clearance. In fact, before Maybourne headed home, Jack had a barbecue in his back yard. SG-1, Cassie, Janet, and Hammond were there from the SGC when Mac and Webb brought Maybourne to the shindig.

Mac noticed that Sam and Jack were holding hands and sharing kisses. She wondered if one of them had been transferred or if one had resigned their commission. She mentioned it to Webb, who wasn't sure himself. They watched this group of people interact with each other and could see who Sam considered her family.

Daniel and Janet were talking quietly while watching Sam and Jack. Teal'c and Hammond were playing darts by the back fence. Cassie was playing with her dog while teasing Jack and Sam every time one of them would kiss the other.

Finally, Mac approached Sam. "Hello, Sam." she said as she caught her alone.

Sam turned around to see who it was. "Hello Colonel MacKenzie. How are you doing?"

Mac smiled at her. "Please Sam, call me Mac or Sarah. We're both off duty and I thought we were friends."

"I'm sorry, Mac. So, are you and Mr. Webb enjoying yourselves today? You did great work by the way, and I want to thank you for taking care of Kinsey for us," Sam said to her.

Mac blushed. "You're welcome. Clay and I are having a great time . We were just talking about what a lovely yard and house Colonel O'Neill has here."

"Yes it is. Jack loves the rustic cabin style. He even has a real cabin out in Minnesota that he keeps asking me to go see," she said with a wistful look on her face.

The look on Sam's face didn't escape Mac's attention. "I noticed a change between the two of you since we last spoke. Aren't you afraid of breaking the regs?" she asked Sam.

Sam smiled as she told Mac about the conversation in Hammond's office three weeks earlier. She also told her that she all but moved into Jack's house. They still stayed at her house every once in a while, but mainly stayed at Jack's place.

"Well, I'm happy for you both. And I want to invite you to come out to Virginia and visit Clay and I the next time you have some downtime. Well, right after you get out to that cabin of his." They both laughed and glanced over to where Jack and Webb stood talking.

"So Colonel O'Neill, I hear that you love to fish." Webb said.

Jack laughed. "Been talking to Daniel huh? Oh, and it's Jack. Yeah, I love to fish, and have been trying to get Sam out to my cabin in Minnesota for years."

"Isn't that against the regs, Jack?"

Jack laughed and told Webb about what Hammond had done for them. They continued talking until he caught Sam looking at him. Their eyes locked and they smiled at one another. Then he noticed the two women walking towards them.

Jack wrapped an arm around Sam's waist while Webb did the same with Mac. Then Jack did something that he'd never done before in front anyone, well, except in the time loop. He dipped Sam and kissed her long and passionately. They barely heard the whistles and cheers from their friends around them.

Janet and Cassie high fived each other and Cassie Yelled out, "It's about time." Then they all laughed.

The End


End file.
